Man held to answer in mother's murder

PATRICK THATCHER Staff Writer

Wednesday

Nov 4, 2009 at 2:24 PMNov 4, 2009 at 2:28 PM

VICTORVILLE • One of two men charged with robbing and then beating their mother to death allegedly told a relative that it took 10 minutes and three attempts to kill her, according to court testimony Wednesday.

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Detective Michael Cleary testified that he interviewed Michael Stevens, the step-son of murder defendant William Hussey.

"Bill (Hussey) told me that he killed someone in California and it was the hardest thing he's ever done and it took three tries in 10 minutes," Cleary testified. "He told Steven he had to get back to California because he killed someone there and had to get rid of the body, but he'd be back in the morning."

William Hussey, 47, and his brother Alan, 50, were caretakers for their mother, Mary Hussey, 74, and shared a Cashew Street home in Hesperia.

The beating apparently occurred on the evening of Oct. 16. She wasn't discovered until two days later when deputies were called by family members to check on her. Both brothers are charged with murder, robbery and elder abuse.

At the end of Wednesday's preliminary hearing, Judge Miriam Morton ruled there is enough evidence to hold William Hussey for trial. He is scheduled for arraignment Nov. 12. Bail is set at $1 million.

Alan Hussey is currently under a court ordered mental competency evaluation and is scheduled back in court Dec. 15.

To read the full story including details of the injuries Mary Hussey sustained, see Thursday's edition of the Daily Press. To subscribe to the Daily Press in print or online, call (760) 241-7755 or click here.

Patrick Thatcher may be reached at 951-6227 or at pthatcher@VVDailyPress.com.

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